Harvester reel



Oct. 16, 1945." H. lQ. HERRSTROM HARVESTER REEL Filed Dec. 3l. 1943 2 Sheeizs-Sheet l HARVESTER REEL Filed Dec. 31 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented oct. 16,1945

fHalmar'Qt. Herrstrom, Rock Island, Ill., assigner 1to. International. Harvester Company,. a 4corpov ration off New 'J ersey kppli'catibnDe'cemberSl, 1943, Serial No. 516,403

invention relates 'toa reel construction forA harvesting machines; More speci'cally; fit rlatesito 'anadjusting vn'i'echanisin for altering thatV Workingposition of'a reel. In the 'use of' harvestingma'chines, "when the standing grain 'is' out a reeiis' almost alwaysused'for assuringthat the falls forwardly V'overfthe platform 'f rom Whiehitis. conveyedto athreshing'cylinder or to` other mechanism for further treatment or 'for being A'depositedinwindrows on thev ground. Due to'ithediiierent' height of'` grain and the different: operatingjeonditionsf it isiusualiy necessary "with harvesting machines to "frequently adjust the. heightpfthe platform and the position of the, ree'lvv'ith"respeetteltheplatiormL both in verticalv direction andina fore'and aft direction. `Various'iievices havebeen vused for obtaining these adjustments'. K

The principalhject'ofthe present invention is"t"o"provide remte oontrol adjusting means or altering thefvertical position of a reel with respecttoLits'supporting structureA and forv altering. the fore .and ait position.

Another Ybjjeei-is to accomplish the adjust.- ments'abpve dieflnedirom a remote position and Withoutfaffeeting 'the Vcontinuity of the driving meansrierthef-'reel A more "spe'cfiiicobjectA isv to provide a locking meansonthevertical adjustment which can be readiiymeieasedprior'to 'adjustment bythe same meanswvhieh accomplishes vthe adjustment.

'The'v above `objects-and' others `which will Vrbe apparentifromthe detailed description to'fellow, are"accomplis`he'diby a fcon'struction'such as shown inthe drawings", in which- Figure "1"'i's-v an elevation showing the supportingvand'sadjustingstructure at one end'of a reel;

Figure 2^isf a detail' of Ithe mounting structure. an'd-the drive"elements `at one `end of the reel structure;-

Figure-3 isv "anenlarged: section. taken on the une 3 3 of FigureY r;

Figure i'syase'ction; taken on the line li-'ll of Figurer:

`=Figure-5 isa detailr ofthe opposite 'side'of ythe bracket membershown inV 'Figure 1';

"ligure` is anend elevation of "the reel structure taken at the other "end relativel'tothestructure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 'T-'isv a `partial plan View with suiieient elementsxshown to indicate the entire arrangementofihe reeistructure;

vFigure "8`i's an elevation ofthe connecting end of 'the transverse and forwardly extending elemerits shown in Figure '7.

har-vestingrma'cliines,l onlyfsuchlp'arts oftheframe strueturefotra` harvesting machine havefbeen'illustratedilaaare necessary-'tofindicateamounting means forz a reel-:structure A-transverse-..shaft V-I 'is1mounted1iorf oscillation ona supperting-block H -at one en'd, shown in Figure'l, and'. asimilar block v`|12y atthe otherend;

as-shownfin'ligure 6; V'Said blocks are carried'by the` harvester frame structure, the L end-sheets 'i3 ofWliiehare-shown infFigures'l-and 6. As shown the sleeve Ml'iex-ten'dingat right anglest'there'to.

Aibearingf-member 23, slidably imountedon said pipe, provides a journal-in the form ofl a sleeve 2=-i`ora -reershaft 25: An -upstanding v'apertured endl'f ontheloearingmemberr 23 Aprovides a-point off/connection for the link 2l.

upstanding` Abracket member 2-"1` is. rigidly securedtoithe pipe 22 spaced from its connection with the sleeveili'. An ladjusting vmembervsuppartv Ziif-rigidly securedto vone ofthe 'sheets I3 provides a-support 1for'an angul'arly y:movable adjus't'in'gm'ember 29; 'Said member lhas a handle portion fa'daptedgto be engaged by Ian 'operator adjacent itssupport Aon the supporting -member 2inA .At its "other end'Y said member has a rightang'led-'end xportion 23l; 'extending vloosely -through an opening' 352 V formed in the upper end'ofthe bracket lmemberV '27'. A rod '33, hooked 'into `an opening ormedinthe endportion 3i, is hooked atitslowerendnto la lever '34 secured to a rod 35- lyin'gparallelptoihe pipe '22. As best shown in 'Figures 3 and-fijne rod"35 extends atoneend through an. opening 'provided in a bracketf'' rigidly'secured' to `the pipe "22 and extending out, Warollytherefrom; 'A reelE supporting, and locking member'inthexformof a.pipe'3"'l; pivotallyfsecured to the GI-Id sheet 13' atf 33,Y extends upwardly through'an epeningjB 94 formedinfthejbracket 35.

It `vvilliie noted that` saidbraeket is formed .of a.

right-angled .section with one-portionlying on.

secured to the plate 4I and to a pin 44 onthej bracket 36 urges the latch into locking position A depending projection 45 on'the rod 35 provides'-v means for disengaging the plunger vvhen the rod' 35 is oscillated by the rod 33 and the adjusting member 29, previously described... y 5 1 A second adjusting member 46 is carried .by the support 26 and connected .by a universal` joint assembly 41 With aV threaded element .48. Said element is provided withright and left hand. threadsat the opposite ends on which internally threaded members 4 9 andf56 are mounted, Said members are secured, respectively, to thelever I9 andthe bracket 721. Due to the opposition action ofA the threads at the endsof. the element 48, it will Ibe understoodthat rotation of the adjusting member,46, wi 1l ,alter the relative angular positions of the lever arm -I9`and the bracket 21. A,counterbalancemspring 5I is connectedto the bracket 2,1 tosubstantially bear the weight of the reel structure ,so that when the latch plunger 46 is disengaged the operator may readily4 lift or lower the reel structure. A l

The shaft 25 carries a hub structure 52 at one end and 53 atthe other end from which arms 5 3' Vradiate for supporting the reel slats 54,. The4 shaft V25 also carries at one end a large chain sprocket 55 Afor driving the reel. Y

As illustrated in Figure 5, an idler chain. sprocket 56 is carried byamernber '51 pivoted at 58 on. the bracket 21. A tension Vspring 59 connected to the member 51 nacts to maintainra predetermined tension on the drive chain.l VA drive chain 60 passes over the upper sprocket 2,0 directly to the sprocket 5 5 'and therefrom directly around the drive sprocket I 8.v lIfhe chain then passes inwardly around the idler sprocket 56 and backto the sprocket 26. the sprocket 56 is carried by the bracket-,w21 and as the sprocket 26 is carried by the'lever I9, there will be some differential in chain length during adjustment of the lever at I9 relative 'to the bracket 21. For that reason, the resiliently supported sprocket 56 has been" 'providedto take. care of the adjustment'and to maintainV thedesired chain tension. The plan view of`Figure 7 shows the shaft I0, the sleeve i4, and the parallel forwardly extending pipes 2 2 atboth ends in'order to tie the construction together and illustrate the complete arrangement. The shaft I0 and the sleeve I4 extend across the machine Where they are supported on a second'bloc'k' IIL'being held therein byv a member 6| which is -identical with the memb'er`I5. An endpo'rtion`62 on 'Ithe'sleeve' I 4is rigidly connected tothe second' lforvvardly ex tending pipe 22. Said' pipe and the reel vsupporting member 23,` slidably carried thereon, are exactlythe *same in construction'as the parts previously described at the other' end of the platl form.' An upstanding lever armj`63, similar to the lever arm I9,j'provides a point/of pivotal'connection for a'link 64 which is pivotally connected to the ear 26u on the bearing member `23.` 'A transversely extending rod 65 -pivotallyv connected tov an upturned end 66 of the rod 35 is pvotally connected to a down-turned arm 61 on a second rod 68. Said rod 66 extends to a latch device exactly the same in construction and bearing the Same-reference characters as the last device at the other end of the platform. Said last device is carried by the bar 22and cooperates with a second pipe 31 identical in construction and function with the pipe 31 described.

'vIo balance the reel structure above described, a tension spring 69 is connected to a portion of thelatch device and to an upstanding member y carried by the harvester structure.

In v the operation of a harvesting machine embodying the reelconstruction above described, the adjusting members 29 and 46 are positioned Where-theyemaybe easily reached by an operabeing' connected for operation in opposite angular directions by4 means of the transverse rod 65,.` The pipes 22 are then unlocked .with respect 'to' the', vertical pipes 31, the entire reel structure being free for pvoting'about the shaftv I0. The springs 5I and. 69 counterbalance the structure at both ends to the extent that the operator may lift or` lower the reel with very little force. The pivoting for adjustment occurs. when the 'opera' tor'pushes or pulls on `the member 29 to shift it axially. By usingbalanced `springs and locking means at each end,'there is very little torsion' applied to theV sleeve I4,. which` assures maintaining' the reel in horizontal position and prevent'-, ing any substantial cooking action which -Would M interfere with its free operation. 'As Athe drive 40' y then transmitt'edthrough the rods 2|' and 64 to* the bearing members'23` which are moved'axially along Vthe pipes 22 carrying'the'reel therewith.'v` As theV drive sprocket 55 on the reel shaftrmoves inthe same direction as the sprocket`- 26 on the lever arm I9, there i's a vcertain correction brought.

about in the chain lengthv during adjusting." .As it is not Vpossible to completely correct for'the variation inthe chain length, the idler sprocket 56 is provided on a resilient'mounting bracket( so that a limited amountof take-upA is pro-VV vided without materially altering the tensionof the chain and its effective operation, 7

It is to be understood that applicant vhas shown and described only a preferred embodiment` olf- .his `improved reel construction and adjusting' mechanism therefor, and that he claims as hisinvention all modifications falling Within the scope of the appended claims. i

What is claimed is: l. .A reel construction .and adjusting mechanism therefor, comprising. a frame structure, a., transverse shaft rotatably. mounted on said frame` structure, upwardly-extendingflev'er arms at the' ends of said shaft secured'thereto for oscillationy therewith, a. pair vof longiuminm and rorwardlyl` extending supporting barsv journale'd on said shaft" assvoce:

adjacent, the levert arms. non'A oscillation with.` respect to) thief shaft,r reel;-supportiizlgv members slitt-` ablsr mounted. on said barsgareek carried by'said'` supporting: members; and: adjusting members pivotall'y secured tothe upstanding lever arms. and: to) the: reel-supporting: members, whereby oscilla-- tioni or. said: levers,r movesthe reel longitudinally ofV the supporting bars;

21A reel:A construction and'` adjusting. mecha-- nismf therefon. comprising-a1. framei structure, a. transverse=shaft rotatably mountedron said frame.r stnwctura. upwardly-extending lever armsat the, ends; of' said shaftsecured thereto-for oscillation therewith.. a. pair of longitudinal and forwardlyextendingsupporting. bars j ourna'led on saidshaft adjacent'. the. leverarms for oscillation with respect to.' the shaft, reel-supporting membersv slidably mounted on saidbars, a reel carried by saidVA supporting members,V adjusting members pivotally secured to the upstanding lever arms and to the reel-supporting members whereby oscillation of said levers.- movesl the reel longitudinally of the. supporting arms, and a bracket member secured to oneot the:supportingv bars, means being provided for. adjusting the bracket member relative to the. corresponding lever arm.

3; A reel. construction and. adjusting mechanism. therefor, comprising a frame structure, a. transverse. shaft-rotatably mounted onv said frame. structure. upwardly-extending lever arms atv the ends` of saidshaftsecured thereto. for oscillation therewith, apair of longitudinal and.. forwardlyextending; supporting bars journaled on said' shaft adjacent. the. lever arms for oscillation. With re.- spect. to thev shaft, reel-supporting. membersv slidably. mounted on said bars. a reel. carried by said supporting members, adjusting memberspivotally secured tothe upstanding lever arms. and. to. the

reel-supporting. members whereby oscillation ofi said levers moves the. reelv longitudinally ofthe supporting bars, and means for adjustably supporting the forwardly-extending bars for adjustinglthevertical. position of.' the reel..

4;. A reelA construction and. adjusting mechanism therefon', comprising a frame structure,` a transverse: shaft. rotatably mountedon said frame structure. upwardly-extending, lever arms at the ends ofsaidjsl-iaft secured thereto for oscillation therevvi'th a .pair of longitudinal' andv forwardlyextending supporting. bars jfournaled on saidr shaft adjacent the lever arms for oscillation. with respectto the shaft, reel-supportingl members slidably` mounted;` on said. bars, a reel carried' by'said supporting members,.,adjustingmembers. pivotally secured, to the upstand'ing; lever arms and to the reef-supporting. members whereby oscillation of said levers. moves the reel longitudinally` of the supporting. bars, means for adjusting the bracket member relative to the corresponding'lever arm,y

and means for adjustably supporting the for'- wardlv-extendng. bars for adjusting the vertical.

. of'longitudinal forwardly-extending, supporting membersxe'd orr said sleeve adjacent the lever arms for oscillation with respect' to the shaft, bearing members slidably mounted' at the. outer ends of said. members for reciprocation with respect thereto in. a fore and aft. direction. said.` bearing, members having. transversely alinedj jour nali portions.; ai. reel? sl'iaftA rotatablymonntedr iw sant journap portions,A aereeltcarried byfsaid sham.. and?l adjusting' members; pivotally" securedf. tol opstanding lever' arms adjacent: their.k upperx ends and to. the; bearingmemberswhereby: oscillation of said levers moves the bearing@mienrrbersv andi the. reel longitudinally.' of the supporting memkerst.

6..Y A reel. construction. and; adjusting` mechas: therefore. a. fizame.-- strtmiure; transverse shaft: rotatably nmuniedzonisaid tramestru'cture, upwardly-extending, lever` arms. att-tha ends of; saifdi shaft secured; thereto ton' oscillation` therewith;4 a. sleeve journale'dl onsaid strarft,,a;,pa:irf of longitudinal forwardly-extending. supporting; members: secured toC sleeves adjacent. leven. arms for oscillation; witte respect tof sharia, bearing: members. slidably; mounted.l air-- the; duim endsof. said members;r for: reciprocaiiion. wittrrespect thereto im a:y fore and aft direction; said'. bea-rin'gmzembers having transversely alinedzjolw nal portionseza reel; shaft rotatablxr'rnountedl salido.J'ournal.portions;sareel:V carried by saidishaft adjusting. memlziersf pivotally` secured; to the' up-` standing; lever arms. adjacent .their upper ends; and.. tor-the bearing; members;A vvllierehyfV oscillation'. of. said. levers moves; the bearing members; and@ thee reel: longitudinally ofi the: supporting, mem--A bers, an: upsta-nding; bracket-member on. one of 3Q; they supporting members, and. means. for: adinet-f ing; said. bracket member relative to: the: corresponding lever arm.

7.. A reel constructionfanatadjustingf; mechanism therefor,` comprising a frame; structure;` a.y

35; transverse shaft` rotatablyv mounted-onsaid frameV structure, upwardly-extendmg leverd arms at .they ends: ot said' shaft.securedtheretoffor oscillation. therewitlm.` a. pair ot longitudinalf fomivarder-efr-l tending: supporting: members: journaled,V on. said:

o shaft. adjacent the lever armsfor. oscillation with respect to the. shaft,.. bearing members. slidablyf mounted atthe. outer ends of said members. for' reciprocationwith respect4 thereto in. a. tore and., aftdirection, said bearing., memlbersfhavingtransfverselyl alined journalY portions, a` reel.. shaft ro :tatably mounted. in said. journalK portions.. a. reel-l carrieolby sa-idshafh adjusting members-pivotally secured' to theA upstanding lever arms. adjacenty their. upper ends and' to. the. bearing. members. whereby oscillation. of.. saidlevers. moves the bear-r ing.. members and the. reel'. longitudinally ot the. supporting` members, and meansfor, adjustably supportingk the forwardly-extending. supporting menbersfor. adjusting theverti'calposition ofthe ree 8. A reel construction andi. adjusting. mechanism theret'on. comprising.. a frame structure. a` transverse. shaft rotatably. mounted. onsaidlframe. structure,y upwardly-extending lever arms at theVv ends of said'. shaft secured thereto. for. oscillation. therewi`tl'1a sleeve jburnaled" onsaidshaft, alpair of longitudinal' forwardly-extending. supporting. members secured to. saidlsleeve. adjacent. thelever arms for oscillation with. respect to. the. shaft;A bearing. members slidabl'y mounted' at the outer. ends of said' members for reciprocationwith respect thereto in. a. fore. and," aft. direction., said. bearing. members. having. transversely alinel journal. portions, a. reel shaftY rotatably. mounted; in saidl. journal' portions. ay reel. carriedlf. by said shaft, adjusting. members pivotally securedltothe.

upstandihg lever armsadjacent. their upper4 ends, and. tothe bearing. members where-by oscillation ofi saidl levers movesthe bearing, members. andi the.

reel longitudinally. of..y thev suroporting4 members. a

bracket, mounted on one' of the supportingA members;V means' for adjusting the-bracket member relative to thegcorresponding lever arm, and means; foradjustably supporting thel forwardlyextendingr-supportingmembers `for adjusting the vertical position of the reel. f Y

9.A reelpconstructionand adjusting mechanism therefor, comprising a frame structure, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure, upwardly-extendinglever arms at the ends olf-said shaft secured thereto for oscillation therewith, a sleevev journaledgon said shaft, a pairoflongitudinal forwardly-extending supporting members securedto said sleeve adjacent the leveri..arms for oscillation with respect to the shaft, .bearing members slidably mounted at the outer ends of said membersV for reciprocation with respecttheretoin a fore and aft direction, said bearing members having transversely alined journalsportions,` a reel shaft .rotatably mounted in said journal portions and held against endwise movementwith respect thereto, a reel carried by said shaft, a drive sprocket mounted on .said shaft, and adjustingmembers pivotally secured to the upstanding leverarms adjacent their upper ends andfto'fthe bearing members whereby oscillation .of said levers moves the bearing members and `the-.reel longitudinally ofthe supporting members, a bracket member secured to one of the supporting members spaced from the lever arm and extending `upwardly, a threaded adjusting element, oppositely threaded members on said element at each end'thereof, said members being securedirespectivelyto the lever arm at one endand to :the-extending upstanding bracket member, an adjusting member support-extending upwardly from the 'crop-gathering device, and an adjusting element extending from said support to the threaded element for rotating said element.

'10. Areel construction and adjusting mechanism therefor comprising V a frame structure, a transverse shaft mounted on said frame 4structure, a pair of forwardly-extending supporting members journaled on said shaft, a reel carried by said supporting members, locking members connected tothe crop-gathering device and extending upwardly adjacent the reel-supportingv members, said locking members having a pluraltyof notches therein, latch devices carried bythe reel-supporting members for engaging said notches, means for connecting said latches for simultaneous operation, and an adjusting memberv operable to disengage said latches and to shift the vertical position of the reel while the latches are disengaged. "`11.' Areel construction and adjusting mechanisrn therfor comprising a frame structure, a transverse shaft mounted lon said frame structure, 'sleeve journaled on said shaft, a pair of forwardly-extending supporting members secured to said sleeve, a reel carried by said supporting members, a bracket member secured to one of the supporting membersspaced from the lever arm v supporting members for engaging said notches,`

means'for connecting said latches for simultaneous operation, andv an adjustingV member 'carriecl` by, said bracket member' operable to dis-I engage vsaid latches and to shift the vertical position ofthe reel whilethe latchesare. disengaged 12. "A reel construction and adjusting' mechaforwardly-extending supporting members jour-V naled on said shaft and a reel carried thereby, springs connected to the crop-gatheringA device and tosaid reel structure for counterbalancing the same, locking members connected to the cropgathering device and. extending upwardly adjacent the reel-supporting members, said locking members having a pluralty'of notches therein, latch devices carriedv by the reel-supporting members for engaging said notches, means for connecting said latches for simultaneous operation, and an adjustingmember operable to disengage said latches and to shift the vertical position of the reel while the latches are disengaged.

13. A reel construction and adjusting mechanism therefor, comprising a frame structure, a'

transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure, upwardly-extending lever arms' at the ends of said shaft secured thereto for oscillationtherewith, a sleeve journaled on said shaft, a pair of longitudinal forwardly-extending support.' ing members secured to the sleeve adjacent the lever arms for oscillation with respect to the shaft, bearing members slidably mounted at the outer ends of said members for reciprocation with respect thereto in a fore and aft direction, said bearing i members having transversely alined journal portions, a reel shaft rotatably mounted in said journal portions and held against endwise movement with respect thereto, a reel car- Y ried bysaid shaft, adjusting members pivotally secured to the upstanding lever arms adjacenttheir upper end and to therbearing members whereby oscillation of said levers moves the bearing members longitudinally of the supporting members, a bracket member secured to one of the supporting members spaced from the lever arm and extending upwardly, a threaded adjusting element, oppcsitely threaded members on said element at each end thereof, said members 'being secured respectively to the lever arm at one end and to the extending upstanding bracket member, an adjusting member support extending upwardly from the crop-gathering device, an adjusting element extending from said support to the threaded element for rotating said element, a second adjusting element extending from said support to the upper end of the bracket, locking members connected to the crop-gathering device and extending upwardly adjacent the reel-supporting members, said locking members'having a plurality of notches therein, latch devices carried by the reel-supporting members for engaging said notches, means forv connecting said latches for simultaneous operationl and an actuating mechanism operable by the second adjusting element to engage and disengage said latches.

14. A reel construction and adjusting mechanism therefor, comprising a frame structure, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure, upwardly-extending lever arms at the ends of said shaft secured thereto for oscillation therewith, a sleeve journaled on said shaft,

a pair of longitudinal forwardly-extending supouter endsof said members for reciprocation with I respectjthereto in a fore and aft direction, said bearing members having transversely alined journal portions, a reel shaft rotatably mounted in said journal portions and held against endwise movement with respect thereto; a reel carried by said shaft, a drive sprocket mounted on said shaft, adjusting members pivotally secured to the upstanding lever arms adjacent their upper end and to the bearing members whereby oscillation of said levers moves the bearing members longitudinally of the supporting members, a bracket member secured to one of the supporting members spaced from the lever arm and extending upwardly, an adjusting member support extending upwardly from the crop-gathering device, an adjusting element extending from said support to the upper end of the bracket, locking members connected to the crop-gathering device and extending upwardly adjacent the reel-supporting members, said locking members having a plurality of notches therein, latch devices carried by reelsupporting members for engaging said notches, means for connecting said notches for simultaneous operation, and an actuating mechanism operable by the adjusting element to engage and disengage said latches.

15. A reel construction and adjusting mechanism therefor, comprising a frame structure, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure, upwardly-extending lever arms at the ends of said shaft secured thereto for oscillation therewith, a sleeve journaled on said shaft, a pair of longitudinal forwardly-extending supporting members mounted on said sleeve adjacent the lever arms for oscillation with respect to the shaft, bearing members slidably mounted at the outer ends of said members for reciprocation with respect thereto in a fore and aft direction, said bearing members having transversely alined journal portions, a reel shaft rotatably mounted in said journal portions and held against endwise movement with respect thereto, a reel carried by said shaft, a drive sprocket mounted on said shaft, adjusting members pivotally secured to the upstanding lever arms adjacent their upper end and to the bearing members whereby oscillation of said levers moves the bearing members longitudinally of the supporting members, a bracket member secured to one of the supporting members spaced from the lever arm and extending upwardly, a threaded adjusting element, oppositely threaded members on said element at each end thereof, said members being secured respectively to the lever arm at one end and to the extending upstanding bracket member, an adjusting member support extending upwardly from the crop-gathering device, an adjusting element extending from said support to the threaded element for rotating said element, a sec ond adjusting element extending from said support to the upper end of the bracket, locking members connected to the crop-gathering device and extending upwardly adjacent the reel-supporting members, said locking members having a plurality of notches therein, latch devices carried by reel-supporting members for engaging said notches, means for connecting said latches for simultaneous operation, an actuating mechanism operable by the second adjusting element to engage andV disengage said latch, tension spring means connected to the upwardly-extending 

